Low Moisture Content Limits to Relations Between Seed Longevity and Moisture

Ellis, R. H.; Hong, T. D.; Roberts, Ε. H.; Tao, Kar-Ling

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a087961

Cited by 116 publications

(106 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Whereas Vertucci and colleagues found optima in correspondence to about 22% RH in pea, we detect an optimum at about 11-15% RH. This may appear to be in closer agreement with the critical RH suggested by Ellis and colleagues (Ellis et al, ,1990b for seeds. However, our conclusions differ from the conclusions made by those authors.…”

Section: Optimum Moisture Level Of Storagesupporting

confidence: 92%

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Biological glasses: nature's way to preserve life

Buitink

2000

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &

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Section: Optimum Moisture Level Of Storagesupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Viability equations fail to predict longevity at low water contents because there is a limit to the beneficial effects of drying seeds , 1990b, Vertucci and Roos, 1990). The value of this limit, also denoted as the critical water content, is a matter of some debate (Ellis et al, , 1995Roos, 1991, 1993a;Smith, 1992).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological glasses: nature's way to preserve life

Buitink

2000

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &

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“…Recent studies report a water-content limit below which seed longevity did not increase further (Ellis et al, , 1990, and which had an adverse effect on seed viability and seed vigor (Vertucci and Roos, 1993;Vertucci et al, 1994;Buitink et al, 1998). It is thought that the removal of the last remaining water molecules may destabilize biological structures (Sun, 1997;Buitink et al, 1998) or enhance the lifetime of free radicals due to the loss of water as a quencher (Karel, 1975).…”

Section: Optimum Storage Conditions Predicted By Molecular Mobilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Water Content and Temperature on Molecular Mobility and Intracellular Glasses in Seeds and Pollen

Buitink

Claessens

Hemminga³

et al. 1998

Plant Physiology

133

152

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Although the occurrence of intracellular glasses in seeds and pollen has been established, physical properties such as rotational correlation times and viscosity have not been studied extensively. Using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we examined changes in the molecular mobility of the hydrophilic nitroxide spin probe 3-carboxy-proxyl during melting of intracellular glasses in axes of pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds and cattail (Typha latifolia L.) pollen. The rotational correlation time of the spin probe in intracellular glasses of both organisms was approximately 10 ؊3 s. Using the distance between the outer extrema of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum (2A zz ) as a measure of molecular mobility, we found a sharp increase in mobility at a definite temperature during heating. This temperature increased with decreasing water content of the samples. Differential scanning calorimetry data on these samples indicated that this sharp increase corresponded to melting of the glassy matrix. Molecular mobility was found to be inversely correlated with storage stability. With decreasing water content, the molecular mobility reached a minimum, and increased again at very low water content. Minimum mobility and maximum storage stability occurred at a similar water content. This correlation suggests that storage stability might be at least partially controlled by molecular mobility. At low temperatures, when storage longevity cannot be determined on a realistic time scale, 2A zz measurements can provide an estimate of the optimum storage conditions.

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“…The estimate of C RH , 0.0263 (Table 2), did not differ among these Nothofagus species, and so all five showed a 1.8-fold increase in longevity with each 10% reduction in equilibrium relative humidity. This estimate is lower than 0.0346 and 0.0376 reported for certain crop seeds Ellis et al, 1989Ellis et al, , 1990 or 0.0356 for the parasitic weed Orobanche species (Kebreab and Murdoch, 1999), but greater than that of 0.0207 for the tropical tree Astronium urundeuva (Medeiros et al, 1998). Hence, these results for Nothofagus do not support the concept of a universal value of C RH for plant species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Seed survival in Chilean Nothofagus in response to desiccation and storage

León‐Lobos

Ellis

2005

Seed Sci. Res.

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Nothofagus alpina, N. obliqua, N. glauca, N. leonii, N. dombeyi and N. pumilio seeds exhibited consistent, albeit slight, sensitivity to extreme desiccation, but nevertheless maintained viability at low moisture contents and cool temperatures (2 108 to 2 208C) over 2 years. Nothofagus alpina, N. obliqua, N. glauca, N. leonii and N. dombeyi conformed to the seed viability equation of Ellis and Roberts; sensitivity of longevity to temperature was quantitatively similar to that of crop seeds, sensitivity to moisture was somewhat less, and a low-moisture-content limit to the equation was detected at 4.8% moisture content in hermetic storage at 65 8C, and possibly similar moisture contents at 30 -408C. These five species show orthodox seed storage behaviour. Therefore, ex-situ conservation of these Nothofagus species in seed banks is possible, but the quality of seed lots collected requires attention. Seed storage behaviour was not defined in N. pumilio: initial seed quality was poor and loss of viability was detected over 2 years at 08, 2108 and 2 208C at 2.7% moisture content, but not at 5.2%. The results confirm that the economy of nature in seed storage physiology extends to forest tree seeds, but the repeated observation of reduced sensitivity of longevity to moisture in forest tree seeds requires further investigation.

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Low Moisture Content Limits to Relations Between Seed Longevity and Moisture

Cited by 116 publications

References 4 publications

Biological glasses: nature's way to preserve life

Biological glasses: nature's way to preserve life

Influence of Water Content and Temperature on Molecular Mobility and Intracellular Glasses in Seeds and Pollen

Seed survival in Chilean Nothofagus in response to desiccation and storage

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